Dhyana-Meditation and Japa- Chanting are the only ways to purify our minds.

One need not read or listen to many scriptures if we can listen to the God residing in our hearts. If we call sincerely He will respond. We should just have the form of or favourite deity in our mind and constantly repeat His name. Dhyana-Meditation and Japa- Chanting are the only ways to purify our minds.

An orthodox Agnihotri Brahmin of Nasik, by name Moolay Shastri, who had studied the six Shastras and was well-versed in astrology and palmistry, once came to Shirdi to see Mr. Bapusaheb Booty, the famous millionaire of Nagpur. After seeing him, he and others went to see Baba in the Masjid. Baba bought various fruits and other things from vendors with His own money, and distributed them to the persons present in the Masjid. Baba used to press the mango on all sides so skilfully that when any person received it from Baba and sucked it, he got all the pulp at once in his mouth and could throw away the stone and the skin forthwith. Plantains were peeled off by Baba and the kernel was distributed to the devotees, while the skins were retained by Baba for Himself.

Moolay Shastri, as a palmist, wanted to examine Baba’s hand or plam and requested Him to extend the same. Baba ignored his request and gave four plantains to him. Then, they all returned to the Wada and Moolay Shastri bathed, wore sacred clothes, and started his routine duties, viz. Agnihotra etc. Then Baba as usual started for Lendi and said – “Take some Geru (i.e. a red miry substance, to dye clothes in saffron-colour), we shall today don saffron-coloured cloth. None understood what Baba meant.

Then after some time when Baba returned, and preparations for the noon-Arati were being made. Bapusaheb Jog asked Moolay Shastri, whether he would accompany him for the Arti. He replied that he would see Baba in the afternoon. Very soon Baba sat on his seat, was worshipped by the devotees and Arti commenced.

Then Baba said – “Get some Dakshina from the new (Nasik) Brahmin.” Booty himself went to get the Dakshina; and when he gave Baba’s message to Moolay Shastri, he was sorely perplexed. He thought in his mind thus: “I am a pure Agnihotri Brahmin, why should I pay Dakshina? Baba may be a great Saint. I am not His dependent.” But as a great Saint like Sai Baba was asking for Dakshina through a millionaire like Booty, he could not refuse. So leaving his routine unfinished, he forthwith started with Booty to the Masjid. Thinking himself holy and sacred, and the Masjid otherwise, he remained at a distance, and joining his hands threw flowers at Baba. Then lo! all of a sudden, he saw no Baba on the seat, but saw his late Guru Gholap Swami there. He was wonder-struck. Could this be a dream? No, it was not, as he was wide awake; but though awake, how could his late Guru Gholap be there? He was speechless for some time. He pinched himself and thought again, but could not reconcile the fact of his late Guru Gholap being in the Masjid.

Ultimately, leaving all doubt, he went up, fell at his Guru’s feet and then getting up stood there with folded hands. Other people sang Baba’s Arati, while Moolay Shastri chanted his Guru’s name. Then casting off all pride of caste and ideas about sacredness, he fell flat at his Guru’s feet and closed his eyes. When he got up and opened his eyes, he saw Baba asking for Dakshina. Seeing Baba’s blissful form, and His inconceivable power, Moolay Shastri forgot himself. He was extremely pleased, his eyes were full of tears of joy. He again saluted Baba and gave the Dakshina. He said that his doubt was removed and that he saw his own Guru. On seeing his wonderful Leela of Baba all the people, including Moolay Shastri, were much moved, and they realized the meaning of Baba’s words, “Bring Geru, we shall don saffron-coloured garment.” Such is the wonderful Leela of Baba.

Story 2

A Doctor

Once a Mamlatdar came to Shirdi with a doctor friend of his. The Doctor said that his Deity was Rama and that he would not bow before a Mahomedan, and so, he was unwilling to go to Shirdi. The Mamlatdar replied, that nobody would press him to make a bow, nor would ask him to do so. So he should come and give the pleasure of his company. Accordingly, they came to Shirdi, and went to the Masjid for Baba’s darshan. All were wonder-struck to see the Doctor going ahead and saluting Baba. They asked him how he forgot his resolve and bowed before a Mussalman. Then the Doctor replied that he saw his beloved Deity, Rama, on the seat and he, therefore prostrated himself before Him. Then as he was saying this, he saw Sai Baba there again. Being dismayed, he said, “Is this a dream? How could He be a Mahomedan? He is a great Yogasampanna (full of Yoga) Avatar.”

Next day, he made a vow and began to fast. He absented himself from the Masjid, resolving not to go there, until Baba blessed him. Three days passed and on the fourth day, a close friend of his from Khandesh, turned up, and with him, he went to the Masjid for Baba’s darshan. After the salutation, Baba asked him, whether anybody had gone to call him, so that he had come. Hearing this vital question, the doctor was moved. The same night he was blessed by Baba, and he experienced the Bliss supreme, in his sleep. Then he left for his town, where the experienced the same state of a fortnight. Thus his devotion to Sai Baba increased manifold.

Essence

The moral of all the stories mentioned above, specially, that of Moolay Shastri, is this that we should have firm faith in our Guru and nowhere else. Baba showed in both cases that all are one. HE gave His blessings in the form of the person’s Guru or God thereby instilling more faith on their Guru to the disciple as well as showing that all are one and we should respect all but however be truthful and loyal to one’s own Guru.

For Children

From childhood we must learn to love all and be compassionate to all irrespective of one’s caste, creed, gender, religion, race, ability etc. We are all the children of God. Each may call Him by various names but we are all part of the same divinity.

Gita and other Upanishads are only guides and maps. One must be able to put this in practise.

Absence of Athma Vichara (Self enquiry) is the root cause of Ashannti (restlessness). On enquiry one will realise that Brahman or Atman is our basic substance.

This knowledge can be found in the Upanishads. They help one to regulate and restrict the senses, mind and intellect and help one merge with the absolute. One must be able to put this in practise. Gita and other Upanishads are only guides and maps.

One Dr. Pandit, a friend of Tatyasaheb Noolkar, once came to Shirdi for Baba’s darshan. After saluting Baba, he stayed in the Masjid for some time. Baba asked him to go to Dadabhat Kelkar. He went to Dadabhat, by whom he was well received. Then Dababhat left his house for Puja and Dr. Pandit accompanied him. Dadabhat worshipped Baba. Nobody until then dared to apply sandal paste to Baba’s forehead. Only Mhalsapati used to apply it to His throat. But this simple-hearted devout, Dr. Pandit, took Dabadhat’s dish containing Puja-materials and taking sandal-paste out of it, drew a Tripundra, i.e. three horizontal lines on Baba’s forehead. To the surprise of all, Baba kept silent without uttering a single word. Then Dababhat that evening asked Baba, “How is it, that though You object to the sandal-paste being applied by others to Your forehead, but You allowed Dr. Pandit to do so now?” Baba replied that Dr. Pandit believed Him to be the same as his Guru, Raghunath Maharaja of Dhopeshwar, known as Kaka Puranik, and he applied the paste to His forehead, as he was doing to his Guru. Hence He could not object. On enquiry, Dr. Pandit told Dadabhat that he took Baba as his Guru Kaka Puranik, and hence he marked the Tripundra on Baba’s forehead, as he did on his Guru’s head.

Though Baba allowed the devotees to worship Him as they pleased, He would never neglect the devotees’ welfare: that He, the slave of His devotees, always stood by them, and responded to them, whenever they called upon Him, and that He always longed for their love.

Essence

This story shows the omniscience of Baba. Baba knew the love of Dr Pandit for his Guru and also knew that he saw Baba as Kaka Puranik. Baba wanted to show and teach all through the above incident that he accepted whatever was offered with love and also showed unity in divinity ie He was not different from Kaka Puranik and all true Masters were indeed the same.

For children

Love and devotion are more important for Lord than anything else.

Story 2

Baba’s control over the elements

Value- Truth

Sub value- Divinity

Once at evening time, there was a terrible storm at Shirdi. The sky was overcast with thick black clouds. The winds began to blow forcibly; the clouds roared and the lighting began to flash, and the rains began to descend in torrents. In a short time, the whole place was flooded with water, All the creatures, birds, beasts and men got terribly frightened; and they all flocked to the Masjid for shelter. There are many local deities in Shirdi, but none of them came to their help. So they all prayed to Baba their God, Who was fond of their devotion, to intercede and quell the storm. Baba was much moved. He came out and standing at the edge of the Masjid, addressed the storm in a loud and thunderous voice – “Stop, stop your fury and the calm.” In a few minutes the rains subsided, the winds ceased to blow, and the storm came to a stop. Then the moon rose in the sky, and the people then went back home well-pleased,

(2) On another occasion at noon the fire in the Dhuni began to burn brightly, its flames were seen to be reaching the rafters above. The people who were sitting in the Masjid did not know what to do. They dared not to ask Baba to pour water or do anything to quench the flames. But Baba soon came to realize, what was happening. He took up His Satka (short stick) and dashed it against a pillar in front, saying – “Get down, Be calm.” At each stroke of the Satka, the flames began to lower and slow down; and in a few minutes the Dhuni became calm and normal.

Essence

Baba is an avatara; God who came as human form to teach humanity lessons on how to live a righteous life and ultimately strive to attain the real knowledge of ‘Who am I’. The above story shows a spark of His divinity ie having control over the elements. Though he came as human and walked amongst us, He was Divinity incarnate and these were just some signs of His divinity.

For Children

Baba incarnated amongst human to teach us the values of faith, love, patience and devotion. He was ever ready to help people who had complete faith in Him. He protected them from all calamities. Hence learning for children is to have love, compassion towards all and develop inner strength and faith in one’s own self ie the divinity within us as well as a higher divinity ie God, Guru, Master etc

Like this:

Once upon a time, a cow went out to graze in the jungle. Suddenly, she noticed a tiger racing towards her. She turned and fled, fearing that at any moment the tiger would sink his claws into her. The cow desperately looked for some place to escape and at last saw a shallow pond. Barely evading the tiger’s reach, she jumped into the pond, and in the heat of the chase, the tiger blindly leaped after her.

To the surprise of them both, the pond was extremely shallow yet filled with deep recesses of mud. After toppling over each other, the cow and the tiger found themselves a short distance apart, stuck in the mud up to their necks. Both had their heads above water but were unable to free themselves no matter how much they writhed.

The tiger repeatedly snarled at the cow and roared, “I am going to enjoy the sound of crunching your bones between my teeth!”

He thrashed about in a fury but soon became fretful as he found no prospect of escape.

*The cow thoughtfully laughed as the tiger struggled to free himself and asked him, “Do you have a master?”*

The tiger disdainfully replied, “I am the king of the jungle. Why do you ask me if I have a master? I myself am the master!”

The cow said, “You may be the king of the jungle, but here all your power has failed to save your life.”

“And what about you?” Retorted the tiger. “You are going to die here in this mud too!”’

The cow smiled mildly and said, “No, I am not.”

“If even I, the king of the jungle cannot free myself from this mud”, snapped the tiger, “Then how can you, an ordinary cow?”

*The cow gently replied, “I cannot free myself from this mud, but my master can. When the sun sets and he finds me absent at home, he will come looking for me. Once he finds me, he will raise me up and escort me home sweet home.”*

The tiger fell silent and coldly glared at the cow.

*Soon enough, the sun set, and the cow’s master arrived. He immediately recognised the plight she was in and lifted her to safety. As they walked home, the cow and the master both felt renewed gratitude for one another and pitied the tiger they both would have been happy to save if only the tiger had allowed them.*

Learning
The cow represents a surrendered soul, the tiger represents an proud person, and the master represents almighty God who is known as the loving protector of the cows and the world. The mud represents the material world, and the chase represents the struggle for existence therein.

*The surrendered soul relies upon the Lord rather than themselves for all the necessities of life. No matter how many troubles appeared to be created by the proud persons of the world who reject the guardianship of the Lord out of the false ego of considering themselves capable of fending for themselves, the surrendered souls know that everything is really in the hands of the Lord, the all-loving. They are fully confident in His protection, though they know sometimes they just need to wait a little while until sundown.*

Once, Lord Buddha knocked at the door of a lady for alms. While offering the food, the lady asked Him, “Why do people remember God by chanting his Name and attending satsang? Are they important?”
Lord Buddha smiled, and promised that He would tell her the answer the next day. He also requested her to prepare plenty of Kheer ( a liquid rice pudding), to be able to answer the question she had asked. The lady did not understand why Lord Buddha needed the Kheer. But since she was very curious, she decided to prepare the Kheer for Him.

The next day, Lord Buddha came and requested for alms in His bowl. The lady brought the big vessel of Kheer she had prepared, and stepped forward to pour the Kheer in the bowl. She was surprised to find that the bowl was full of mud. There was no space to pour the Kheer. She did not know what to do.

Lord Buddha instructed her to pour the Kheer on top of the mud. She followed the instructions and began pouring the Kheer into the bowl.

At first, the Kheer spilled on the ground, but gradually, due to the force with which the Kheer flowed into the bowl, the mud began to spill out as well. Finally, all the mud spilled out, and the bowl was filled to the top with Kheer. She was puzzled about why Lord Buddha had asked her to pour and waste so much of the Kheer.

Lord Buddha then explained, “I have just showed you the importance of chanting (the Lord’s Name) and satsang on the impure mind.
When we chant and attend satsang, we constantly pour the positive thought of God’s Name into our mind. Even if our mind is at first filled with bad qualities like anger, jealousy, greed, lust, etc., these slowly wash away, and it is then filled with God’s Name that is full of purity and joy like God is.”
The lady understood instantly and started chanting God’s Name with faith everyday.

Learning:

The above story explains how chanting the Lord’s Name, and attending satsang purify the mind. Like the lady, we too, can start chanting God’s Name, and try to be in satsang of saints or at least spiritual books, to get rid of our negative feelings and experience joy everyday.